A visiting delegation of the Chugoku Economic Federation from the Hiroshima region of Japan has shown strong interest in the wood processing, tourism and geothermal industries and presents an important opportunity for Rotorua’s economy, according toÂ Rotorua MP Todd McClay. Mr McClay welcomed the high powered business delegation to New Zealand as Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in a speech in Wellington yesterday. “This visit reflects strong interest in New Zealand from Japanese economic groups in recent years and is very welcome,” said Mr McClay. Delegations from the highly influential Japan Business Federation and Kansai Economic Federation visited New Zealand in 2014. “Japan is New Zealand’s fourth largest trading partner and fourth largest source of foreign investment. We therefore welcome these visits and the opportunities they present to strengthen trade and investment links.” The delegation has a particular interest in New Zealand’s renewable energy policies and tourism strategies and will be visiting Rotorua, Kawerau and Christchurch. “We are keen to increase the use of renewable energy as a way to deal with climate change and while there is already considerable cooperation between New Zealand and Japan in geothermal energy, we see the scope to do more together as Japan develops its geothermal resource,” says Mr McClay. “A number of the companies represented in the delegation already have long-standing investments in New Zealand and we welcome opportunities to deepen those relationships.” Originally from Rotorua Daily Post...

New Zealand has officially opened its first diplomatic mission to the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) bloc in Jakarta, Trade Minister Tim Groser said Friday. â€œThe opening of a New Zealand Mission is a significant demonstration of our commitment to the region. It comes at an important time. This year marks the 40th anniversary of New Zealandâ€™s formal relationship with ASEAN, and also the year that ASEAN will launch the ASEAN Community,â€ Tim Groser said who opened the mission. â€œASEAN is now home to around 625 million people and has a combined GDP of USD2.4 trillion. Taken as a bloc, ASEAN is now the seventh largest economy in the world and New Zealandâ€™s fourth largest trading partner. ASEAN has become a pillar of New Zealand trade.â€ While in Jakarta, Minister Groser also warmly welcomed the signing of a contract between New Zealand solar power company, Power Technology ASEAN Ltd, and Indonesian conglomerate, Sekar Group. In the contract the parties agree to work together to develop ASEANâ€™s first environmentally-sustainable shrimp farm in Sumbawa. Powertech ASEAN will provide the design and installation expertise to the Sekar Group. â€œWe have long been involved with Indonesia in the development of Indonesiaâ€™s huge renewable energy production in geothermal power, where New Zealand obviously has world-leading technology.â€ â€œIt is therefore very pleasing that we are now starting to see that smart New Zealand companies in other areas of the renewable energy equation â€“ in this case, solar â€“ can contribute to Indonesiaâ€™s low-carbon energy security,â€ Groser said. Trade Minister Groserâ€™s visit to Indonesia is part of a series of events held in ASEAN countries this year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of New Zealand-ASEAN relations. Originally from...

Green Party MP Gareth Hughes wants to take the power back from power companies to secure fair buy-back prices for people who are producing excess renewable energy for their homes and businesses. Hughes promoted his Electricity Industry (Small -Scale Renewable Distributed Generation) Amendment Bill in Nelson which was drawn from the ballot in parliament last month. The bill is aiming to guarantee households that feed renewable...

SolarcityÂ and Panasonic have launched a national smart energy partnership to make saving money on energy for Kiwi this winter. All existing and new solarZero customers will receive a free starter pack of 10 Panasonic LED light bulbs as part of their solar installation. Stewart Fowler, CEO of Panasonic New Zealand said, â€œThis new initiative combines two home energy solutions that can cut power bills and help reduce New Zealandâ€™s...

Enphase Energy, Inc. announced it has entered into a distribution agreement with Solar Partners New Zealand (SPNZ). Solar Partners New Zealand will distribute the world-leading Enphase Solar Energy System to key installers across the country. The Solar Partners New Zealand partnership falls in line with Enphaseâ€™s aggressive growth following the companyâ€™s recent opening of a second Australian office in Sydney, whilst undergoing a...

The era of coal-fired power in New Zealand will soon come to an end as the country is making a rapid transition to renewables, the energy minister said. â€œHistorically coal has played an important role in ensuring the security of New Zealand’s electricity supply, particularly in dry years where our hydro-lake levels are low,â€ Energy Minister Simon Bridges said. New Zealandâ€™s share of electricity from renewable resources in...

Parliament will get to vote on a simple amendment to the Electricity Industry Act that would guarantee households a fair price for any excess renewable electricity they supply back to the grid, the Green Party said Thursday. Green Party MP Gareth Hughes had a Membersâ€™ Bill in his name pulled from the ballot today. The Electricity Industry (Small-Scale Renewable Distributed Generation) Amendment Bill will empower the...

Simon Bridges, Energy and Resources Minister, says a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed yesterday will strengthen the strategic partnership in renewable energy research and development between New Zealand and Japan. During his visit to Tokyo this week, Bridges witnessed the signing of the MOU, between New Zealandâ€™s GNS Science and the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC). The MOU establishes the basis...